Addressing methods and material

ABSTRACT

THERE IS DISCLOSED AN ADDRESSING SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ADDRESSING APPARATUS AND ADDRESSING METHODS AND MATERIALS USE THEREIN. A SET OF MASTER CARDS IS PROVIDED FORMED OF POROUS TAB CARD STOCK IMPREGNATED WITH A SENSITIZER VAPORIZABLE AT 100*C. TO 160*C. AND HAVING A SELECTED AREA ON ONE FACE THEREOF FOR THE ADDRESS IN INFRARED ABSORBING INK; AS DISCLOSED, THE MASTER CARD IS MADE BY PASSING THE POROUS TAB CARD STOCK THROUGH A BATH CONTAINING THE SENSITIZER AND A SOLVENT THEREFOR, AFTER WHICH THE SOLVENT IS EVAPORATED. THE SET OF MASTER CARDS IS THEN EMPLOYED TO PROVIDE A MASTER TAPE THAT IS A STRIP OF NON-POROUS RELEASE MATERIAL THAT IS OLEOPHOBIC AND TRANSPARENT TO INFRARED RADIATION, AND CARRYING THEREON REVERSE READING COPIES OF THE ADDRESSES IN THE FORM OF BODIES OF PARTIALLY FUSED TONER APPLIED TO ONE SIDE OF THE MASTER TAPE; THE ADDRESSES ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE MASTER CARDS TO THE MASTER TAPE UTILIZING AN APPARATUS AND METHOD WHEREIN A PRINTING STATION IS PROVIDED HAVING A FIRST SOURCE OF INFRARED RADIATION THEREAT, FIRST FEED MECHANISM FOR FEEDING THE MASTER CARDS SEQUENTIALLY TO THE PRINTING STATION AND A SECOND FEED MECHANISM FOR FEEDING THE MASTER TAPE TO THE PRINTING STATION TO POSITION A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF THE MASTER TAPE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE ADDRESS ON A MASTER CARD POSITIONED AT THEN PRINTING STATION, THEREAFTER OPERATING THE FIRST SOURCE OF INFRARED RADIATION TO VAPORIZE FROM THE MASTER CARD SENSITIZER IN AREAS CORRESPONDING TO THE ADDRESS THEREON ONTO THE ONE SURFACE OF THE MASTER TAPE, APPLYING A TONER TO THE MASTER TAPE TO ADHERE TONER TO THE SENSITIZER IN AREAS CORRESPONDING TO THE ADDRESS, AND THEREAFTER EXPOSING THE MASTER TAPE CARRYING THE POWDERED TONER TO A SECOND SOURCE OF INFRARED RADIATION FOR AT LEAST PARTIALLY FUSING THE TONER TO PROVIDE A REVERSE READING COPY OF THE ADDRESS ON THE MASTER TAPE. THE TONER COMPRISES A VEHICLE BODY OF WOOD ROSIN AND POLYMERIZED RESIN, MODIFIERS OF POLYAMIDE RESIN AND A HDYROCARBON RESIN AND PIGMENT OF CARBON BLACK. THE MASTER TAPE WITH THE ADDRESSES THEREON IN PARTIALLY FUSED TONER IS THEN FED TO AN ADDRESSING STATION WHERE AN ENVELOPE OR OTHER ARTICLE TO B ADDRESSES IS PLACED WITH THE SURFACE THEREOF AGINST THE PARTIALLY FUSED TONER ON A SECTION OF THE MASTER TAPE AFTER WHICH HEAT AND PRESSURE ARE APPLIED THERETO TO TRANSFER THE BODIES OF TONER TO THE ENVELOPE AND FULLY TO FUSE THE TONER TO PROVIDE ON THE ENVELOPE BODIES OF FULLY FUSED TONER IN AREAS CORRESPONDING TO THE ADDRESS ON A MASTER CARD.

Dec. 26, 1972 R, MORLEY ET AL ADDBESSING METHODS AND MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 5, 1967 FIG. 2

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ADDRESSING METHODS AND MATERIAL Original Filed June 5. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 26o Inventors RONALD l. MORLE Y RAYMOND W BIE RNAT ARNOLD J SM/DT-HAYER.

Q74?, yymf' @JAWS United States Patent O 3,707,435 ADDRESSING METHODS AND MATERIAL Ronald I. Morley, Berkeley, Calif., Raymond W. Biernat, St. Paul, Minn., and Arnold J. Smidt-Hayer, Falls Church, Va., assignors to Dymo Industries, Inc., Berkeley, Calif.

Original application June 5, 1967, Ser. No. 643,718, now Patent No. 3,607,527. Divided and this application Feb. 18, 1971, Ser. No. 116,562

Int. Cl. B32b 21 04 U.S. Cl. 161-270 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed an addressing system including an addressing apparatus and addressing methods and materials use therein. A set of master cards is provided formed of porous tab card stock impregnated with a sensitizer vaporizable at 100 C. to 160 C. and having a selected area on one face thereof for the address in infrared absorbing ink; as disclosed, the master card is made by passing the porous tab card stock through a bath containing the sensitizer and a solvent therefor, after which the solvent is evaporated. The set of master cards is then employed to provide a master tape that is a strip of non-porous release material that is oleophobic and transparent to infrared radiation, and carrying thereon reverse reading copies of the addresses in the form of bodies of partially fused toner applied to one side of the master tape; the addresses are transferred from the master cards to the master tape utilizing an apparatus and method wherein a printing station is provided having a first source of infrared radiation thereat, first feed mechanism for feeding the master cards sequentially to the printing station and a second feed mechanism for feeding the master tape to the printing station to position a predetermined portion of the master tape immediately adjacent to the address on a master card positioned at then printing station, thereafter operating the first source of infrared radiation to vaporize from the master card sensitizer in areas corresponding to the address thereon onto the one surface of the master tape, applying a toner to the master tape to adhere toner to the sensitizer in areas corresponding to the address, and thereafter exposing the master tape carrying the powdered toner to a second source of infrared radiation for at least partially fusing the toner to provide a reverse reading copy of the address on the master tape. The toner comprises a vehicle body of wood rosin and polymerized resin, modifiers of polyamide resin and a hydrocarbon resin and pigment of carbon black. The master tape with the addresses thereon in partially fused toner is then fed to an addressing station where an envelope or other article to be addressed is placed with the surface thereof against the partially fused toner on a section of the master tape after which heat and pressure are applied thereto to transfer the bodies of toner to the envelope and fully to fuse the toner to provide on the envelope bodies of fully fused toner in areas corresponding to the address on a master card.

This application is a division of the co-pending application Ser. No. 643,718, filed June 5, 1967 now Pat. No. 3,607,527 for Addressing Apparatus and Methods and Materials.

The present invention relates to an addressing system, and more specifically to a master tape for use therewith.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a master tape for use in addressing system of the type set forth, the tape comprising a strip of non-porous release material that is oleophobic and transparent to inice d frared radiation and non-sticky to the touch, and carrying thereon bodies of at least partially fused toner arranged as indicia for transfer to a receptor surface, the bodies of toner being formed of the improved toner of the present invention.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a master tape suitable for use with an apparatus for transferring addresses from a group of master cards onto the master tape, wherein each master card has thereon an address in infrared absorbing material and vaporizable sensitizer in the area of the address, and wherein the master tape has a non-porous oleophobic surface having resin release characteristics and is transparent to infrared radiation, the apparatus comprising a printing station having a first source of infrared radiation thereat, a first feed mechanism for feeding the master cards sequentially to the printing station to position a master card with the address thereon in position to be exposed to the first source of infrared radiation, a second feed mechanism for feeding the master tape to the printing station to position a predetermined portion of the master tape with one surface thereof disposed immediately adjacent to the address on a master card positioned at the printing station, means for operating the first source of infrared radiation to vaporize from the master card a portion of the sensitizer from areas corresponding to the address thereon onto the one surface of the predetermined portion of the master tape to provide on the master tape a film of sensitizer arranged in areas corresponding to the address, means for applying a toner to the one surface of the master tape thereby to adhere toner to the sensitizer thereon in areas corresponding to the address, and a second source of infrared radiation for at least partially fusing the toner on the master tape, thereby to provide a continuous master tape having on predetermined portions thereof bodies of partially fused toner in areas corresponding to the addresses on the group of master cards.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of the present invention to provide a master tape for 'use with an apparatus for transferring the partially fused toner on the master tape to a receptor, such as an envelope, the apparatus comprising feed mechanism for feeding receptor sheets sequentially to position a receptor sheet against the bodies of partially fused toner on the master tape corresponding to the address on a master card, and means for applying heat and pressure to the master tape and the receptor sheet to transfer the bodies of partially fused toner to the receptor sheet and fully to fuse the toner thereby to provide on the receptor sheet bodies of fully fused toner in an area corresponding to the address on a master card.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the apparatus and to the particular arrangement of the steps of the methods and to the particular proportions of ingredients in the compositions, whereby the above-outlined and additional features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood Iby reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus and method for producing master cards useful with the master tape of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front face of a master card made for use with the master tape of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus and method for applying to the master tape of the present invention addresses from a group of master cards;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the portion of the apparatus of FIG. 3 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the front surface of a portion of a master tape made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section through the master tape of FIG. 5 along the line 6 6 thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing illustrating an apparatus and method of transferring addresses from the master tape of the present invention onto envelopes.

An addressing system useful with the master tape of the present invention utilizes therein a master card 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the master card 10 being generally rectangular in shape and having standard dimensions, such as for example a length of 7% inches, a width of 3% inches and a thickness of 7 mils. More specifically, the master card 10 is formed from a piece of porous tab card stock having capillary passages extending therethrough throughout substantially the entire body thereof. Absorbed in the capillary passages of the master card 10 is a quantity of vaporizable sensitizer, the master card 10 containing about one mg. of sensitizer. As illustrated, the master card 10 is further provided with a standard punched card grid on the front face thereof, the grid being generally designated by the numeral and comprising a series of rows of numbers, 80 columns of such numbers being illustrated in IFIG. 2. The grid 20 defines an address area 30 on the card 10 to receive therein an address 40 printed in infrared or heat absorbing material, for example, in ink containing a high content of carbon fblack.

The sensitizer absorbed in the master card 10 must have certain specific properties to be useful with the master tape of the present invention and the apparatus hereinafter set forth. A preferred sensitizer for use in the master card 10 is sold under the designation Magie Oil 590, and is a mixture of 'branched aliphatic hydrocarbons each containing at least 10 carbon atoms with branches thereon containing up to as many as four carbon atoms. The oil further has an API gravity of 36, a specific gravity of 0.845, a density of 6.9 pounds per gallon, a ash point of 335 F., a tire point of 360 F., a viscosity at 100 F. of 47, a K B. number of 22.5, a straw color, an aniline point of 187, an initial boiling point of 590 F. and an end boiling point of 635 F. A master card 10 having the dimensions set forth above may contain as little as 0.1 mg. of oil and up to as much as 4 grams of oil, care being taken that not too much oil be present so that the master card 10 will not feel oily to the touch.

Another preferred sensitizer for use in the master card 10 are certain alkyl esters such as dimethyl sebacate and diethyl sebacate. Yet other preferred sensitizers for use in the master card 10 are aromatic esters including dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate. A master card 10 having the dimensions set forth above may contain as little as 0.1 mg. of the ester and up to as many as 4 grams of the ester.

The master card 10 has many important advantages due to the character of the tab card stock of which it is made and due to the character and quantity of sensitizer impregnated therein. More specifically, the master card 10 can have the address 40 printed thereon, or typed thereon, or written thereon, or applied thereto in any other known manner, all without interference from the sensitizer content thereof. Furthermore, the address 40 will not bleed, smudge or block, (i.e., transfer from the face of one card to the rear of another in a stack of the cards) due to the presence of sensitizer therein. Furthermore, the sensitizer does not increase the friction between cards or the adhesiveness between cards, whereby the master cards 10 may be handled manually and in machines in the usual manner required. Furthermore, the sensitizer is non-toxic, odorless, and otherwise not obnoxious in use. Furthermore, the sensitizer does not cause the card stock to become soft and mushy. Finally, the sensitizer has low volatility at ambient conditions but has a substantially partial pressure in the temperature range from about C. to about 160 C., whereby heating thereof will cause a vapor transfer from the master card 10 to an adjacent surface. Up to 500 such vapor transfers or impressions can be made from a single master card 10 without replenishing the sensitizer therein, and as many as eight vapor transfers or impressions may -be made in a single working day due to the fact that the sensitizer lost in transfer is replaced due to the movement of sensitizer through the capillary passages in the master card 10 from areas adjacent to those from which the sensitizer is lost 'by Vaporization.

There is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings a schematic representation of the apparatus and method of forming the master card 10, the apparatus being generally designed by the numeral 100. The apparatus 100 includes a source of porous tab card stock in the form of a roll 101 thereof which may be, for example, 24 inches in diameter and is supported on an axle 102. A first length 105 of the tab card stock from the roll 101 passes over a guide pulley and into a tank 130 in which is disposed an impregnating solution 131 that will be described more fully hereinafter. Another guide roller 132 is provided in the tank so that another section 106 of the tab card stock is disposed between the pulleys `120 and 132, a portion of the section 106 being disposed in the impregnating composition 131. From the guide roller 132 another section 107 of the tab card stock extends upwardly to a pair of cooperating pinch or nip rolls 121 and 122 which tend to squeeze excess impregnating composition from the tab card stock, the excess composition falling downwardly onto an inclined surface 133 that drains back into the tank 130. After leaving the pinch rolls 121-122, the tab card stock passes in a length 108 to a guide roller I123 and along a length 109 to a guide roller 124 and along a length 110 to a guide roller 125 from which a length 111 extends to a guide roller 126. The several lengths 108, 109 and 1'10 of the impregnated tab card stock are exposed to ambient pressure and temperature conditions, whereby the solvent forming a part of the solution 131 will be evaporated therefrom leaving in the tab card stock only the sensitizer, all as explained above. The length 11|1 of the tab card stock with the sensitizer impregnated therein has the grid 20 printed thereon by a printing mechanism that includes movable type 141 and a backup plate or bed 142, whereby there is printed on the tab card stock the grid 20.

After passing the printing mechanism 140, the tab card stock passes to a section 12 where a cutting mechanism is provided that serves to cut the essentially continuous tab card stock strip into individual master cards l10, the cutting mechanism 150 including the usual die 151 and a backup plate or bed 152. The cut and finished master clzzds 10 are fed to a stack thereof generally designated The impregnating solution I131 is preferably a mixture of the sensitizer that is to be impregnated into the master card 10 and a suitable volatile solvent therefor, the preferred solvent being hexane when the sensitizer is Magie Oil 590. The hexane not only is a solvent for the sensitizer but also serves as a penetrating agent carrying the sensitizer into the tab card stock and also lowering the viscosity of the sensitizer to aid in the impregnation. -In a preferred example, the sensitizer is Magie Oil 590 and comprises 20% by weight of the impregnating solution 131 and the hexane comprises 80% by weight of the impregnating solution 131. It has been found that the impregnating solution may contain as little as 5% by weight of the sensitizer and up to as much as 50% by weight of the sensitizer, the remainder being hexane. In general it is impractical to use less than 5% by weight of sensitizer in the impregnating solution 131, and on the other hand, if more than about 50% by weight of the impregnating solution is sensitizer, then the resultant master card 10 is objectionably oily to the touch. Other suitable solvents may be utilized in place of the hexane, examples being acetone, pentane, heptane and chlorinated solvents such as dichloroethane and trichloroethane.

In the impregnating method of FIG. l, it is preferred that the speed of the web of tab card stock be about feet per second, and that about six inches of the tab card stock be immersed at any time in the impregnating solution 131, thereby to give a residence time of 1/20 second in the impregnating solution l131. Such a residence time is adquate to provide saturation of the tab card stock. It will be appreciated that other methods of applying the impregnating solution l131 such as by spraying and the like may be substituted in place of the dip bath of FIG. l. The vapor pressure of the solvent in the impregnating solution 131 must have a sufficiently high vapor pressure so that all of the solvent is evaporated in approximately one second, whereby the printing mechanism 140 may be disposed as short a distance as ten feet from the tank 130, and still permit all of the solvent to be evaporated from the tab card stock before reaching the printing mechanism 140.

There is then applied to the master card 10 in the address area 30 the address 40 in an infrared absorbing material. The address 40 may be applied by typing, by printing, by addressograph methods, by handwriting, or by any other suitable method, so long as the address 40 is in a heat or infrared absorbing material.

In accordance with the addressing system of the present invention, the address on a master card 10 is reproduced on a master tape by distilling a portion of the sensitizer from the master card 101- in areas corresponding to the infrared absorbing indicia in the address 40 thereon onto one surface of the master tape. Thereafter the latent image in the form of a sensitizer film on the master tape is developed by passing the master tape through a toner box where toner is picked up by the sensitizer film to reproduce the address in the toner on the master tape. The apparatus and method of transferring addresses from a group of master cards onto a master tape are illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, the apparatus being generally designated in FIG. 3 by the numeral 200. A roll 201 of master tape 210 is mounted on a support axle 202 in a position to feed a length of the master tape 210 around a first guide roller 203 and a second guide roller 204, a reciprocating type feed mechanism 220 being provided having a finger 221 engageable in one of a series of openings 2'11 provided in the master tape 210 intermediate the longitudinal edges thereof and spaced the entire length thereof, the feed mechanism 221 serving to feed the master tape 210 stepwise in fixed increments from left to right as viewed in FIG. 3 between the guide rollers 203 and 204. There also is provided as a part of the apparatus 200, a feed mechanism 230 for a stack of master cards including a magazine 231 to hold a stack of the master cards, a chute 232 leading from the magazine 231 onto a pair of spaced apart conveyer belts 233 and 234 that are supported by a plurality of guide rollers 235 and a drive roller 236 connected to a source 237 of motive power for the conveyer belts 233 and 234. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the conveyer belts 233 and 234 are spaced apart and support a master card 10 adjacent to the ends thereof thereby to leave unobstructed the address area 30 carrying the address 40 thereon, the master tape 210 overlying the address area 30 and being disposed thereagainst, the side of the master card 10 carrying the address 40 therein being disposed upwardly.

The apparatus 200 also includes a printing station 240 at which is disposed a source of infrared radiation in the form of a powerful lamp 241 having its power supply 242 associated therewith. The infrared lamp 241 will preferentially heat the heat absorbing ink forming address 40 in the area 30 and cause a portion of the sensitizer in the master card 10 to be vaporized in the area of the address 40 from the upper surface of the master card 10` onto the 6 adjacent undersurface of the master tape 210 where the oil is condensed in a film having areas shaped corresponding to the address 40 in the area 30 on the master card 10.

After exposure to the lamp 241 at the printing station 240, the master card 10 eventually is deposited in a receptacle 238 therefor and the master tape 210 with the latent image of the address in the form of a sensitizer film thereon is fed to a toner box 250 containing a suitable toner 251. More specifically, the master tape 210 is fed from the printing station 240 to and over the guide roller 204 and around a guide roller 252 in the toner box 250, thereby to expose the sensitizer film on the underside of the master tape 210 to the toner 251 in the toner box 250'. The master tape 210 with the granular toner thereon in the areas corresponding of the address on a master card 10 is then fed past a second source of infrared radiation in the form of a lamp 253 having a power supply 254, the lamp 253 providing intense infrared radiation at least partially to fuse the toner on the master tape 210, thereby to provide a continuous master tape 210 having on predetermined portions thereof bodies of partially fused toner in the areas corresponding to the indicia on a group of master cards 10', two such predetermined portions 212 and 214 of the master tape 210I having been illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings carrying two addresses from two of the master cards 10 thereon. More specifically, the predetermined portion of 212 carries bodies 215 of toner and predetermined portion 214 carries bodies 217 of partially fused toner, the bodies 215 and 217 of toner defining addresses corresponding to the addresses on two of the master cards 10'.

In order properly to operate the apparatus 200, the master tape 210 must have certain predetermined characteristics. In one preferred form of the invention, the master tape 210 is a glassine base paper strip (i.e., a strip of high density paper fibers treated with concentrated sodium hydroxide to render the strip transparent) coated on at least one side thereof with a Werner-type chromium complex such as that sold under the trademark Quilon, such a paper strip being offered by the Rhinelander Paper Co. under the trademark Q2S (coated on both sides with the Werner-type chromium complex). A master tape formed of these materials is non-porous and oleophobic, is transparent to infrared radiation, is non-sticky to the touch, possesses good resin release characteristics, is dry to the toner, and is non-sticky to an envelope or other mailing piece to which the addresses thereon are to be transferred in a subsequent operation to be described hereinafter.

In place of the glassine base strip described above, there may be utilized in the present invention a parchment paper such as that sold by Patterson Parchment Company under the trademark TS-35 carrying on each side thereof a coating of a Werner-type chromium complex such as that sold under the trademark Quilon.

The toner 251 of the present invention preferably comprises a vehicle body, modifiers and pigments, the following being an example of a preferred formulation thereof:

Ingredients: Parts by weight Wood rosin 60 Polymerized rosin 20 Polyamide resin 4 Hydrocarbon resin 2 Furnace carbon black 10 Channel carbon black 4 Dispersant, lecithin 0.5

The above ingredients were thoroughly mixed and thereafter placed in a jacketed mixture having sigma mixture blades therein and heated to a temperature in the range from about 250 F. to about 275 F. by passing steam through the jacket of the mixture, the steam entering at a temperature of about 280 F. and exiting at a temperature of about 270 F. The fused and molten mixture was stirred until the consistency was that of molasses, a five gallon batch requiring about thirty-tive minutes of mixing. The molten mixture was then poured onto a ceramic slab and cooled to a solid. The cooled solid was ground and pulverized in a hammer mill until the toner particles had sizes in the range from about microns to about 50 microns. Thereafter the particles were screened to be sure that the particles utilized in the toner were in the range from about 5 microns to about 50 microns. [Particles smaller than about 5 microns are too small and cause dusting, whereas particles larger than about 50 microns provide poor toning or imaging.

The wood rosin utilized in the composition is that sold under the designation WW Wood Rosin by the Hercules Powder Company and contains about 60% by weight abietic acid, the compound having a higher acid number so as to provide better wetting when dispersing the pigment carbon and also to provide compatibility with the resins in the composition. The wood rosin utilized has a softening point (ASTM ring and ball method) of 163 F., an acid number of 164, a saponification number of 168, contains 6.5% unsaponiable material, contains substantially no material insoluble in gasoline, has a specific rotation for plane polarized light (sodium line) of +11", a refractive index at 20 C. of 1.5453, a density at 20 C. of 1.067 grams per milliliter, and a ash point (Cleveland open cup) of 420 F.

The polymerized rosin in the toner formulation is that sold under ahe trademark Poly-Pale by the Hercules Powder Company. It has an acid number of 145, a softening point (Hercules drop method) of 216, and a bulking value (pounds per gallon at 25 C.) of 8.9. The polymerized rosin increases the viscosity of the formulation and checks the plasticity of the wood rosin.

The amo-unt of wood rosin in the toner composition may be as little as 50 parts by weight or as much as 70 parts by weight, whereas the polymerized rosin may comprise as few as about parts by weight and up to as many as 30 parts by weight. However, the ratio between the wood rosin and the polymerized rosin is maintained in a preferred range of from about 2.7 to about 3.3, the preferred ratio being that given in the table above, namely, about 3. If the wood rosin content is too low, there is poor wetting and poor compatibility among the ingredients whereby a broken image results after toning. On the other hand, if the wood rosin content is too low, the image is too soft and too tacky and tends to spread out, thus providing a blotchy toned image. If the amount of polym erized rosin is too low, there is a low viscosity of the toner and too much plasticity, whereas if the amount of po-lymerized rosin is too high, the toner is very brittle and friable.

The polyamide resin in the toner composition is that sold under the trademark Versamid 930 and is more particularly a resin prepared by the condensation of polymerized unsaturated fatty acids, i.e., dilinoleic acid, with aliphatic amines, i.e., ethylene diamine. The Versamid 930 resin has a softening point of 110 C., a Brookeld viscosity at 150 C. of 35 poises, a specific gravity of 0.98, a density of 8.2 pounds per gallon at 25 C., and a value of 3 in a modified penetration test at 25 C. following ASTM D5-52. Also useful is the polyamide resin sold under the trademark Versamid 940, this resin having a softening point of 110 C., a Brookfield viscosity at 150 C. of 22 poises, a specific gravity of 0.98, a density of 8.2 pounds per gallon at 25 C., and a penetration value of 4 at 25 C. using the modied procedure of ASTM D5-52.

The hydrocarbon resin in the toner formulation is preferably that sold under the trademark Amoco Resin 18-210, this being a linear alpha methyl styrene polymer. This product has a softening point (ring and ball) of 210 F., a Gardner-Holdt viscosity (60% in toluene) of G-H, a specific gravity of 1.08 and a molecular weight of about 720.

As little as 3 parts of the polyamide resin may be utilized in the toner formulation and up to as many as 5 parts, whereas' from about one part to about two parts of the hydrocarbon resin are useful. It is also necessary to maintain a predetermined ratio between th'e polyamide resin and the hydrocarbon resin, the ratio being in the range from about 1.5 to about 5, the preferred value being about two as illustrated in the table set forth above. If the amount of polyamide resin in the toner composition is too high, the toner is too sticky, is hard to fuse and is too viscous; on the other hand, if the content of polyamide resin is too low, there is blocking of the toner and the adhesion to an underlying support is not good. If the hydrocarbon resin content of the toner composition is too high, the toner exhibits poor adhesion and is too friable; on the other hand, if the hydrocarbon resin content is too low, the toner exhibits a high viscosity and is too sticky.

It further is necessary that there is a predetermined ratio between the ingredients forming the vehicle body, i.e., the wood rosin and the polymerized rosin, and the modifiers, i.e., the polyamide resin and the hydrocarbon resin. The ratio between the vehicle bodyingredients and the modifiers is preferably in the range from about l2 to about 16, the preferred value being about 14.

The furnace carbon black utilized in the formulation is preferably that sold under the trademark Statex F-12 and is characterized as a medium density black with low oil absorption and a large particle size. The channel carbon black in the toner formulation is preferably that sold under the trademark Carbolac 2 which is a high density black carbon of small particle size and high oil absorption. As few as one part by weight of the furnace carbon black can be utilized and up to as many as 14 parts by weight, whereas up to as many as 10 parts by weight of the channel carbon black may be utilized in the formulation. At the higher concentrations of furnace carbon black, the color of the toner becomes grayish and the toner has a low viscosity, whereas at the lower concentrations of furnace carbon black the toner tends to become too heavy in viscosity and also tends to become dusty and friable. The ratio between all of the other ingredients in the toner, namely, the vehicle body and modifiers on the one hand, and the pigments on the other hand, is preferably in the range from about 4.5 to about 9, the preferred ratio being about 6.

The dispersant used in the toner formulation set forth above is preferably that sold under the trademark Desperganf it being essentially a lecithin formulation. The amount of dispersant can be as many as two parts by weight. If the amount of dispersant is too low, the dispersion is poor in the finished toner, whereas if the amount of dispersant in the formulation is too high, the toner tends to become tacky.

The toner described above gives very sharp heat transfer on the herein described apparatus. The combination of 'the rosins and resins noted forms a dry, fluid powder which in use produces a sharp image and a sharp, dense lt transfer which releases easily from the master tape The toner as described has a melting point of about 225 F., the toner preferably having a melting point in the range from about 225 F. to about 230 F. If it is desired to raise the melting point of the toner, the proportions of polymerized rosin and polyamide resin are increased, but if these proportions are increased too much, broken lines will result in the toned image. The lower the melting point of the toner, the proportions of polymerized rosin and polyamide resin are lowered, but if these proportions are too low, blocking of the toned image will result and the lines in the toned image will tend to spread.

It also is desirable to provide in the toner box 200 a plurality of glass beads (for example having diameters of approximately 200 microns) to prevent packing of the toner 251 and to improve the uidity thereof. Alternatively, the toner box 250 may be vibrated or an auger may be placed therein to prevent agglomeration of the toner.

Considering now further the method of utilizing the apparatus 200 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the master cards are successively fed one by one from the magazine 231 onto the chute 232 and from there onto the conveying belts 233-234. At the same time, the master tape 210 is being fed from the roll 2011 thereof downwardly and around the guide roller 203. Then the lower face thereof is pressed against the master cards 10, movement of the master tape 210 being under the control of the tape feed mechanism 220 and the finger 221 engaging in the openings 2'11 in the master tape 210. The feed mechanism 220 and the drive 237 for conveyer belts 233-234 operate stepwise to stop the master tape 210 with the predetermined portion thereof disposed against and covering the address 40 on a master card 10 disposed therebeneath at the printing station 240 and in alignment with the infrared lamp 241. More specifically, the portion of the master tape 210 disposed between two adjacent openings 211 is in registry with the address 40 on the master card i10 disposed below the infrared lamp 241 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Energization of the lamp 241 vaporizes a portion of the sensitizer in the master card 10 onto the adjacent surface of the master tape 240. The infrared radiation from the lamp 241 is preferentially absorbed by the pigments in the address 40, whereby the sensitizer is vaporized from those areas of the card 10 covered by the address 40. The sensitizer as it is vaporized from the card 10 is immediately condensed and cooled on the adjacent surface of the master tape 2'10 to provide thereon sensitizer lilm that reproduces the address 40 to form in effect a latent image of the address thereon.

The above described process is repeated rapidly at the printing station 240, after which the master tape 210', with the latent image of an address is sensitizer disposed between each pair of adjacent openings 211 therein, is fed to the toner box 250 where the loose toner is picked up by the sensitizer films on the master tape 21.1, thus to provide developed images in particles of toner of the addresses on the master tape 210. In order to render the thus developed toner images more permanent, they are exposed to the radiation from the lamp 253 which heats the toner to a temperature above the fusion point thereof, i.e., above about 225 F., thus to provide bodies of partially fused toner defining the addresses on the series of master cards 10 to which the master tape 210l was exposed.

At the same time the exposed master cards 10 are delivered by the conveyor belts 233-234 to the receptacle 238 therefor. The sensitizer in the master cards 10 adjacent to the address areas 40 therein quickly migrates by capillary and osmotic action into the address areas 40L to replenish the sensitizer therein, thereby to render it possible shortly thereafter again to print a latent image in sensitizer of the address 40 on another master tape 210. It has been found that as many as eight or more impressions can be taken from a master card 10 in a normal working day, and up to a total of 500 or more may be made from a single master card 10 before it is necessary to replenish the sensitizer therein.

There are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings the details of the structure of the master tape 210 carrying the addresses thereon in bodies of partially fused toner. Referring first to FIG. 5, there is shown a section of the master tape 210 With the longitudinal axis thereof arranged vertically with three of the openings 211 therein illustrated delining therebetween two predetermined address carrying portions 212 and 214, respectively. Arranged in the predetermined portion 212 is an address 215 and arranged in the predetermined portion 214 is an address 217, the addresses 215 and 217 being backward reading i.e., reading from right to left. As is illustrated in FIG. 6, the addresses 21-5 and 217 comprise bodies of fused toner adhered to the underlying surface of the master tape 210. The partially fused toner bodies forming the addresses 215 and 217 have a certain amount of elasticity and resilience whereby the master tape 210E may be rewound into roll form as at 260 in FIG. 3, the roll 260 being supported upon an axle 261. The roll 260 of the master tape 2:10 with the several addresses 215, 217, 219, etc. thereon can be stored substantially indefinitely and further can be transferred as an article of commerce at such time as the addresses thereon are required for mailing or the like.

There is illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus 300` and a method for transferring the addresses 215, 217, 219, etc. from the master tape 210 onto a suitable receptor sheet such as a plurality of envelopes 330. In the apparatus 300, the roll 260 of master tape 210 is supported upon an axle 301 so that the master tape 210 can be readily fed therefrom and around a guide roller 302 to an addressing station 310 where the addresses on the master tape 210 are transferred onto the envelope 330. From the addressing station 310, the master tape 210 is fed around a guide roller 303 and up to a takeup roll 201 of the master tape 210 mounted on an axle 304.

The envelopes 330 are contained in a magazine 331 and are fed therefrom onto and down a chute 332 onto an envelope feed mechanism 320 including a feed belt 32,1 supported by a plurality of rollers 322 and a drive roller 323 connected to a suitable stepwise drive mechanism 324. The envelope feed mechanism 320 serves to feed the envelope y330 sequentially to the addressing station 310 at which is positioned a mechanism 311 for pressing a heated member 312 against the rear surface of the master tape 210 positioned above an envelope 3230, the envelope 330 and the belt 32'1 being supported by a backup bed or platen 314. After leaving the addressing station. 310, the tape 210 is wound upon the roll 201, the axle 304 being suitably driven by a drive mechanism 305 and the addressed envelopes 330 are delivered to a receptacle 333 therefor.

Considering now more specifically the method of operation of the address transferring apparatus 300, the addresses such as the addresses 215, 217, and 219 on the outer surface of the master tape 210 are carried by the master tape 210 to the addressing station 310, the addresses such as the address 215 being disposed downwardly. The envelope feed mechanism 320 operates sequentially to feed envelopes 330 received from the magazine 331 sequentially one by one to the addressing station 310 to place the envelope below a predetermined one of the addresses, such as the address 215, on the master tape 210. The master tape 210 and the envelope 330 are both stopped at the addressing station 310 after which the mechanism 311 is operated to press the heated member 312 against the rear of the master tape 210 to heat the partially fused bodies of toner forming the address 215 to a temperature in the range of about 225 F. to about 250 F., and to press the bodies of toner forming the address 215 against the adjacent surface of the envelope 330. In this operation, the bodies of partially fused toner forming the address 215 are substantially completely transferred from the surface of the master tape 210 onto the adjacent surface of the envelope 330, and also the bodies of toner forming the address 215 are fully fused to provide on the envelope 330 bodies of fully fused toner arranged to provide the address 40 on the master card 10 that was utilized to provide the address 215 on the master tape 210.

The transfer of the toner from the master tape 210 and the envelope 330 to provide an address on the envelope 330 is facilitated by the fact that there is substantially no adherence between the toner bodies and the surface of the master tape 210, it being pointed out that the surface of the master tape 210 is non-porous, oleophobic, and possesses good release characteristics. The surface of the envelope 330 on the other hand has a good aninity for the bodies of toner forming the address, thereby materially to facilitate the transfer of the toner bodies thereto. As a result, there is provided on the envelope 330 a forward reading, i.e., left to right reading, reproduction in toner of the address 40 on the original corresponding master card 10. As the addresses on the master tape 210 are transferred onto the envelopes 330 sequentially, a group of envelopes is provided having addresses thereon corresponding to the addresses on the group of master cards that were in the magazine 231.

It will be appreciated that other suitable apparatus may be utilized in place of the apparatus 300 illustrated in FIG. 7 to transfer the addresses on the master tape 210 onto the envelope 330. For example, a machine sold under the trademark Cheshire Model 514 is particularly useful for this purpose. In fact any suitable machine that will supply a heated member or platen that will heat the bodies of toner to a temperature in the range of about 225 F., to 250 F. and apply a pressure thereto will be suitable for this purpose.

The master tape 210 is also preferably transparent, whereby the right to left reading addresses in the partially fused toner bodies on the one face thereof can be seen therethrough from the other face thereof to present left to right reading addresses in the partially fused toner bodies. In accordance with another preferred form of the present invention, the master tape 210 may be cut into individual addressing labels with a single address thereon, and thereafter secured to an envelope or the like, with the side of the master tape 210 carrying the toner thereon disposed toward the envelope; any suitable securing means such as glue, or the like, may be used to secure the addressing label to the envelope. The address will be seen through the addressing label and will be readable from left to right in the usual manner.

From the above it will be seen that there has been provided an improved addressing system incorporating therein the novel master tape and label which fulfill all of the objects and advantages set forth above. It will be understood that the information on the master card 10 need not be addresses but may be any other form of information -arranged in indicia formed of infrared absorption material, wherein it is desired to duplicate those indicia in a sequential manner on receptor sheets such as the envelopes 330 described above.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A master tape for use in an addressing system, said tape comprising a strip of non-porous resin release material, said strip being oleophobic and transparent to infrared radiation and non-sticky to the touch, and bodies of at least partially fused toner deposited on at least one surface of said strip and arranged as indicia, said toner including a vehicle body and modifiers and pigment, said vehicle body consisting essentially of wood rosin and polymerized rosin, the ratio between the wood rosin and the polymerized rosin being in the range from about 2.7 to about 3.3, said modifiers consisting essentially of a polyamide resin and a hydrocarbon resin, said pigment consisting essentially of carbon black, the ratio between the other ingredients and the pigment being in the range from about 4.5 to about 9, said bodies of toner being readily transferred to a receptor surface by the placement thereagainst and by the application of heat and pressure to the other side of said strip in the area of said bodies of toner, thereby to transfer said indicia from said tape to an adjacent receptor surface.

2. The master tape set forth in claim l, wherein said toner further comprises from about 0.5% to about 2.0% by weight of a dispersant.

3. The master tape set forth in claim 1, wherein said dispersant is essentially lecithin.

4. The master tape set forth in claim 1, wherein said wood rosin includes about 60% by weight of abietic acid and has an acid number above about 160, said polymerized rosin has an acid number of about and a softening point of about 216 F., and the ratio between said wood rosin and said polymerized rosin is about 3.

5. The master tape set forth in claim 1, wherein said polyamide resin is a polymerized condensation product of an unsaturated fatty acid and an aliphatic amine, said hydrocarbon resin is a linear alpha methyl styrene polymer.

6. The master tape set forth in claim 1, wherein said polyamide resin is a polymerized condensation product of dilinoleic acid and ethylene diamine, and said hydrocarbon resin has a molecular weight of about 720 and a ring and ball softening point of about 210 F.

7. The master tape set forth in claim 1, wherein said pigment is a mixture of furnace carbon black and channel carbon black, the ratio between said furnace carbon black and said channel carbon black being about 2.5.

8. An addressing label for use in an addressing system, said label comprising a piece of non-porous material, said material being oleophobic and transparent both to infrared radiation and visible light and non-sticky to the touch, and bodies of at least partially fused toner deposited on at least one surface of said material and arranged as indicia to provide an address readable from right to left when viewed on said one surface and reading from left to right when viewed from the other surface through said material, said toner including a vehicle body and modifiers and pigment, said vehicle body consisting essentially of wood rosin and polymerized rosin, the ratio between the wood rosin and the polymerized rosin being in the range from about 2.7 to about 3.3, said modifiers consisting essentially of a polyamide resin and a hydrocarbon resin, said pigment consisting essentially of carbon black, the ratio between the other ingredients and the pigments being in the range from about 4.5 to about 9.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DOUGLAS J. DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner 

